20  Tinct.  and  Syr.  of  Orange  Peel,  etc.  {AVn?£wiMU 
Tincture  of  orange  is  essentially  a  flavoring  agent,  possessing  slight, 
stomachic  properties ;  nevertheless,  it  is  the  most  important  of  its, 
class,  largely  prescribed,  and  therefore  meriting  attention.  In  dry- 
ing the  peel,  however  carefully  this  is  performed,  a  large  percentage 
of  the  aroma  is  lost,  which,  if  retained,  makes  a  tincture  of  unques- 
tionably superior  flavor  ;  such  being  the  case,  any  difficulty  in  procur- 
ing the  fruit  at  some  seasons  is  quite  secondary.  How  easy  would  it 
not  be  to  make  many  of  the  tedious  pharmacopoeia  preparations  if  we 
could  rest  satisfied  with  inferior  results  ?  When  this  tincture  has 
been  kept  twelve  months  the  flavor  is  not  quite  so  fine  as  when  freshly 
prepared,  but  even  then  its  superiority  to  tincture  from  the  dry  peel 
is  evident. 
Six  ounces  of  peel,  cut  thinly  from  the  fruit,  weigh  two  ounces  when, 
dry;  it  will  be  evident  then  that  this  quantity  will  be  required  to- 
make  one  pint  of  tincture,  and  that  four  ounces  of  water  must  be 
omitted  in  making  the  proof  spirit.  Although  rectified  spirit  might 
be  the  best  solvent  of  the  volatile  oil,  etc.,  in  the  peel,  there  is  an  ob- 
jection to  its  use,  as  it  tends  to  harden  the  peel,  rendering  it  more  crisp, 
and  less  permeable.  In  the  winter  I  usually  make  sufficient  to  carry 
me  safely  through  the  summer,  when  the  fruit  is  difficult  to  procure, 
but  taking  the  quantity  of  the  pharmacopoeia  for  example  I  proceed 
thus  : — Six  ounces  of  thin  fresh  peel,  cut  small,  are  macerated  48 
hours  with  four  ounces  distilled  water  ;  12  ounces  of  rectified  spirit 
are  then  added,  and  the  maceration  continued  with  occasional  agita- 
tion for  one  month  ;  filtered,  pressed,  and  the  product  made  to  mea- 
sure one  pint  with  proof  spirit.  Set  aside  in  a  moderately  cool  place 
for  use. 
Tincture  of  Quinine,  prepared  from  the  foregoing  tincture  in  the- 
summer,  deposits  in  the  winter — so  it  frequently  does  when  prepared 
with  the  B.  P.  tincture — presuming,  of  course,  that  pure  quinine  be- 
used  (not  the  unbleached,  which  frequently,  if  not  always,  contains 
cinchonine).  Now,  to  prepare,  say  two  pints,  tincture  suitable  for 
comp.  tincture  of  quinine,  I  proceed  thus  : — Take  six  ounces  fresh 
peel,  two  ounces  dry  peel  (in  fine  shreds,  known  as  machine  cuttings), 
add  four  ounces  water,  and  after  forty-eight  hours,  32  ounces  rectified, 
spirit ;  allow  to  stand  as  before,  but,  after  pressing,  make  up  the  de- 
ficiency with  rectified  instead  of  proof  spirit.  Thus  a  tincture  is  ob- 
tained of  fine  flavor,  and  capable  of  retaining  the  quinine  in  solution. 
Here  it  might  be  objected  that  I  am  introducing  a  third  strength  of 
